Appeal No. 2001-0274
Application No. 09/136,527
reflective coating, exposing the primary conductive layer.
Independent claim 1 is reproduced as follows:
1. A semiconductor device, comprising:
a first dielectric layer;
a patterned metal layer having gaps, said patterned metal
layer formed on the first dielectric layer and including a metal
feature with an upper surface, said patterned layer having a
composite structure comprising a bottom layer, an intermediate
metal layer, and an upper anti-reflective coating;
a second dielectric layer formed on the patterned metal
layer;
a through-hole having an internal surface formed in the
second dielectric layer exposing a portion of the upper surface
of the metal feature, wherein the exposed portion of the upper
surface has a concave section formed during etching the through-
hole, said concave section extending beneath and undercutting the
anti-reflective coating;
a layer of barrier metal lining the internal surface of the
through-hole and the concave section extending beneath and
undercutting the anti-reflective coating; and
conductive material filling the through-hole and forming a
via.
The examiner relies on the following references:
Myers et al. [Myers] 5,470,790 Nov. 28, 1995
Sandhu et al. [Sandhu] 5,723,382 Mar. 3, 1998
Claims 1, 2, 9, 10 and 15 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C.
102(b) as anticipated by Myers.
-2–
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007